Stephen Vassie and Gordon Allan from Malcolm Allan at the launch of the new Asda Supplier Development Academy launch

Charlene Wilson

Published:15:56Updated:16:05Monday 18 February 2019

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Larbert-based family business Malcolm Allan joined special guests at the Scottish Parliament for the launch of the 2019 Asda Supplier Development Academy.

150 MSPs and food and drink stakeholders from across the country attended the prestigious event to mark the official opening of the Academy, delivered in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink and supported by the Scottish Government.

Scottish suppliers who had successfully completed previous Academy programmes were on hand to share their experiences, showcase their range and offer samples of their finest products to guests.

Malcolm Allan demonstrated its innovation and growth by showcasing its new Scottish Slimmers healthy range of meats.

Open to applications from all current or potential Asda suppliers in Scotland, large or small, the Academy is an opportunity for suppliers to deepen their knowledge of supermarket trading and grow their business.

To date, 53 Scottish businesses have benefited from the programme, achieving an estimated £20 million of new sales.

James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink said: “At the end of last year we launched our new UK market strategy, identifying an £8.5 billion growth opportunity for the Scottish food and drink industry in the coming years.

“The recipe for success is to build the capability of Scottish suppliers and break into new markets. That is exactly what this new programme is all about.

“A top priority for us is to build ever deeper partnerships with Scottish food and drink’s biggest customers. Asda is central to the future of our sector and their commitment to work with the industry and Scottish Government is exactly the kind of partnership we want.

“The ASDA Supplier Academy has already racked up over £20 million of new business for Scottish producers so it is great to see this unique opportunity for new and experienced companies open again for 2019.”

Michael McCallion, head of Scottish Sourcing at Asda, added: “At Asda we place huge importance on supporting local suppliers in growing their business, no matter how big or small.

“Where Asda can take a local product and find it a national market then the benefits are multiple: sales increase, customers get better choice and quality, and suppliers get the confidence and scale to make the move from small to medium to large businesses. “Invariably that means more local jobs and more investment with local primary producers. It also helps to deliver more of what our customers tell us they want – high quality, great value Scottish products on Asda shelves. “